11783: What is the fault of children born in a kaafir environment?

People born and raised in different environments and religions naturally develop different temperaments and identities. A person born in a Hindu family becomes a Hindu upon growing up. For him the Hindu religion is perfect. For such a person it is ingrained into his nature from his childhood that he is a Hindu first and last. Supposingly he receives the message of Islam. What are the chances that he will give up his religion, his identity and accept a new one. Isn't it tough for this person to become Muslim as compared to someone born a Muslim. It scares me to think that if I were born into some other faith than Islam where would I be today. So why is it not the law that everyone does have an equal opportunity to experience and accept Islam from the cradle. It this a matter of Allah's will, Sprituality (Hidayah) or Human Psychology. Please respond with references from Quran and hadith.

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion (of pure
Islamic Monotheism) Haneef (worship none but Allaah Alone). Allaah’s
Fitrah (i.e. Allaah’s Islamic Monotheism) with which He has created
mankind. No change let there be in Khalq‑illaah (i.e. the religion
of Allaah Islamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion,
but most of men know not” [al-Room 30:30]

It was narrated from Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: “Every child is born in a state of fitrah (the natural
state of man, i.e., Islam), then his parents make him into a Jew or
a Christian or a Magian.” (Agreed upon).

The correct view is that what is meant by fitrah is the
religion of Islam, as stated in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim from
the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “Allaah said: ‘I created
My slaves as haneefs (believers in pure monotheism), then the Shaytaan
misled them from their religion; he forbade them what I had permitted
to them and commanded them to associate others with Me for which I had
not sent down any authority.’” What it means when it is said that a
child is born as a Muslim is that he is born inherently ready, when
he reaches the age of discretion, if he is given the choice between
Islam and its opposite, to prefer Islam over its opposite and to choose
Islam as his religion, so long as there is nothing to prevent him from
doing so, such as his whims and desires or tribalism. Following his
desires makes him prefer falsehood so that he may attain some share
of leadership or wealth, and tribalism or racial pride makes him follow
his forefathers or elders, even if they are not following true guidance.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Nay! They say: ‘We found
our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we guide ourselves
by their footsteps’” [al-Zukhruf 43:23]

And Allaah tells us what the followers among the people of Hell will
say (interpretation of the meaning):

“And they will say: ‘Our Lord! Verily, we obeyed our chiefs and
our great ones, and they misled us from the (Right) Way’” [al-Ahzaab
33:67]

If every child
is born in a state of fitrah, then obviously there will be some who
will be influenced in ways that are in accordance with that fitrah and
will strengthen it, such as those who are born to Muslim parents and
grow up in a Muslim society. And there will be some whose fitrah is
changed, such as those who are born to kaafir parents and group up among
the kuffaar, be they Jews, Christians, Magians or mushrikeen. Undoubtedly
the one who is born in Islam has means of guidance and happiness which
are not available to others who are born and grow up in kaafir societies.
Being given easy access to the means of faith and guidance is a blessing
from Allaah which He gives to whomsoever He wills. It should also be
noted that the person whose fitrah has been changed from Islam will
not be punished for the sins of another; rather he will be punished
if the call of the Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reaches him and he does not accept
it out of stubbornness, arrogance or tribalistic pride in the religion
of his forefathers and countrymen, because proof is established against
him when the call of the Messenger reaches him, and in such a case,
if he persists in his kufr then he deserves to be punished. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)”
[al-Israa’ 17:15]

What you say in your question,
“It scares me to think…”, is correct and is wise, for it is the blessing
of Allaah upon you that you were born in Islam. If you had been born
into another religion, there would have been the fear that you might
remain in that false religion, but when Allaah wills good for His slave,
He makes it easy for him to have the means of guidance which will bring
him from the religion of kufr to the religion of Islam. The entire matter
is up to Allaah.

But when you say in your question, “So why is it not the
law that…?” this is a false question caused by unawareness of the wisdom
of Allaah and His ways of dealing with His creation. Of course it is
impossible for the same opportunities to be available to all, because
there are so many different human religions, and guidance to Islam happens
when a person chooses to be guided, because Allaah has given man the
ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, between what is
beneficial and what is harmful, by means of the reason that He has instilled
in him, and the explanations with which He has sent His Messengers.
At the same time, the will of the person is subject to the will of Allaah,
for He is the One Who sends astray whomsoever He wills by His justice
and wisdom, and He guides whomsoever He will by His grace and wisdom.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, this (the Qur’aan) is no less than a Reminder to (all)
the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn)

To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.

And you cannot will unless
(it be) that Allaah wills the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and
all that exists)”[al-Takweer 81:27-29]